When you read you results report, you’ll notice that for some tests there is a column called reference intervals or reference ranges.
These are a way of comparing your test results with those considered normal or healthy for the general population.
Most people can expect to have results that will fall within this range. If a result is outside this range – either higher or lower – it will generally be flagged as high with an (H) or low with an (L).
This is to draw attention to your results. It does not indicate that you are unwell and may not mean anything in your personal situation.
Factors such as age and gender can affect test results so often separate reference intervals are calculated for these differences.
It is important that you only use the reference range on the report from the lab that performed the analysis and not from any other source. This is because reference intervals can differ between laboratories for the same tests. More technical details on reference intervals
Your results need to be considered in the context of your whole clinical history including any other investigations you have had. Click on the video below to understand more.
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